Am I Suffering From Oligospermia? Identifying The Symptoms

Male infertility can be quite troubling. The biggest problem linked to issues like a low sperm count (oligospermia) is that often there will be no symptoms. A guy will know there’s a problem if their partner is not getting pregnant over a long period of time.

Usually, most men understand that they’re suffering from oligospermia after visiting a fertility clinic and doing a sperm quality test. The good news is that the condition is relatively easy to diagnose. Once a diagnosis of oligospermia is produced, a physician will start looking for the cause (more about common causes here).

Still, is it possible to identify oligospermia prior to seeing a fertility specialist? Here’s a brief overview of the problem and the possible symptoms.

The Top Symptom Of A Low Sperm Count: No Pregnancy

Infertility is equally common among men and women. If the woman in the couple has seen her ob-gyn and there’s no issue identified, chances are that a male problem is to blame for the lack of pregnancy.

The most common symptom of oligospermia is no pregnancy after one year of unprotected sex. If a couple doesn’t accomplish conception within this period of time, specialists believe that it’s dealing with a fertility issue. One of the most common fertility issues in men is a low sperm count.

When the couple sees a fertility specialist for the first time, both of them will undergo a series of tests – hormones, sperm parameters, tests for sexually transmitted diseases.

These tests are simple, effective and they’ll quickly pinpoint the issue that’s contributing to the lack of a pregnancy over such a long period of time.

Oligospermia And Other Medical Conditions

Men who are dealing with certain medical conditions are more likely than others to suffer from a low sperm count. Thus, if you have a certain diagnosis and you’re not getting to accomplish a pregnancy with a partner, there’s an increased risk of suffering from oligospermia.

Low sperm count is more common among the guys who are obese than among the ones that maintain a healthy weight. If your BMI is too high, chances are that you’re dealing with some degree of infertility, as well.

Oligospermia is also relatively common among the men who suffer from diabetes, heart disease, varicocele, multiple sclerosis, undescended testicles, congenital adrenal hyperplasia, karyotype abnormalities, testicular cancer, myelodysplasia and organ failure.

Mumps is another condition that could potentially leave a guy infertile later on in life.

Anabolic steroid use and the chronic use of opiates are also linked to an increased risk of oligospermia. If any of these risk factors apply to you, there’s a good chance you’re dealing with a condition. See a fertility expert to have your sperm analyzed.

Other Symptoms

Sometimes, oligospermia will come with the symptoms of the condition that’s causing a low sperm count. If the problem is in the testes, for example, oligospermia could be characterized by testicular pain.

Men who have low testosterone are at a higher risk of infertility. These men may experience issues like a low libido, the accumulation of fat in the abdominal issue, bone brittleness and osteoporosis.

As already mentioned, sexually transmitted diseases could impact spermatogenesis. Some of the most common symptoms of STIs in men include pain during urination or sex, itchiness, the appearance of a rash or penile spots, a weird discharge or swelling.

A blood test is all that it takes to diagnose sexually transmitted diseases.

Any symptom that involves the functioning of the reproductive tract should not be underestimated. While it may be something minor, it could also be indicative of a more serious problem.

Men don’t really like going to the urologist but such a consultation can identify the issue early on and help for the selection of a simple, effective solution.

The same applies to infertility that continues for a long period of time. If you haven’t managed to get a partner pregnant within one year, you should see a specialist. The more you wait and postpone the situation, the more difficult it will be to resolve the issue quickly.